WINNING AT SKIN: THE BEST OF THE ORDINARY

The Ordinary skincare -worth the hype?

The Ordinary, one of few winning skin care brands under Deciem brand umbrella, has shaken the world of beauty and for a good reason. Bringing award winning formulas stripped to basics has filled the massive gap in the market. The science behind it is simple. Little ingredients, basic, yet totally instagramable packaging got the bloggers and audience alike going crazy. Does anyone remember that little clip of Wayne Goss giving them a shout out? We believed and fell in love with their cheaper than a Friday night cocktail formulas. Now The Ordinary has more of a price range, but with everything still closing well under £20.00. I've tried many products and decided to share with you only creme de la creme of The Ordinary. Are you ready to win at life, ahem skin? 

Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution | RPR £6.80 - £7.00

Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

7% Glycolic Acid is little stronger than your usual formula (around 5% AHA in most acid toners out there) and works wonders. Huge bottle (240ml) guarantees to last for ages too. All at the friction of the price (£6.80 ish) of the most known counters from Pixi, Bravura or Merumaya. 7% Glycolic Acid promotes radiance and with every day use will help uneven tone and skin structure. Enriched with Aloe Water, Cornflower Water, Rose Water, Ginseng Root and Urea Extracts works at diminishing dullness and dehydration. I use acid toners daily in the evening as AHAs increase your skin sensitivity to the sun rays. It's one of those miracle products you just must try to see the lasting effects. Give your skin 2-4 weeks and enjoy the glow! Currently still in stock on Cult Beauty & Victoria Health, you are welcome :)

♦Ingredients/INCI

Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, Rosa damascena flower water, Centaurea cyanus flower water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.
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Buy me: Deciem | Beauty Bay | Asos | Cult Beauty | Victoria Health 

Argireline Solution 10% | RPR £5.50

Argireline Solution 10%

Magic water as myself and mom like to call it. Few drops of the serum into your usual serum will increase the skin's ability to recover. It's quite a claim to make for a serum below £10.00 to repair wrinkles and fine lines. It somehow freezes the fine lines in place so they're less visible. I wouldn't believe it myself if I haven't tried it. No, it won't have the magic effect on your deep set wrinkles, but it'll help your skin to move slower making sure future damage is slowed down. This may be a big claim but we both tested it and I adore to apply this serum topically only to my forehead and smile lines, simply because it works. My mom just simply adds half a pipette to the other serum currently on rotation and applies all over. I don't need it as much yet, so I tend to only apply where and when it's needed. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Gellan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
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Buy me: Deciem | Beauty Bay | Cult Beauty | Feel Unique

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F | RPR £14.90

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F

The serum you just must have. The most expensive (around £15.00) out the vitamin C enriched range, this dry oil formula sinks in quickly leaving my skin radiant and plumped. As you probably know, vitamin C is very unstable in other than powder formula. Here stabilised in oil at high strength, it can really change your skin in just a couple of weeks and even from first use, the effects are visible. The formula is that of a dry oil and unlike other vitamin C enriched liquids does not roll on the skin when other products are applied over it. It's definitely at the top of my list whenever I want to add a little vitamin C to my routine. Can be applied both morning and evening too, it preps the skin for a moisturiser in the morning and adds little glow to the complexion instantly. If used regularly it adds radiance to lacklustre complexion, protects from future sun damage and can reverse changes such as sun spots. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Coconut Alkanes, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ethyl Linoleate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Squalane.

Buy me: Deciem | Beauty Bay | Asos | Cult Beauty | Victoria Health

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution | RPR £6.30

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Simply a game changer in at home acid based treatments. The high concentration of AHAs and BHAs is on demand and The Ordinary Peeling Solution does what no other has done before, it offers it as at home treatment. Usually offered at salon treatment price and unavailable to many who can't afford a pricey salon visit. The sensitive skin test is a must here and as always a research is recommended prior to use. As with any cosmetics, it's important to know your own skin. I understand that your everyday reader may not have the relevant knowledge or experience but with the formula being also super gentle, even on sensitive skin, it offers another level of facial experience. Left for only ten minutes, this blood like thick formula will deeply exfoliate your skin, getting rid of dead cells and help collagen production. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't noticed much difference with the usual low concentration AHA & BHA based products. It's a dream for both oily and dry skin types as it answers a lot of skin concerns. It'll brighten, exfoliate, help with natural cell renewal process, get rid of uneven tone and texture and bring glow like you've never experienced before. It's a true testimony to what Deciem has to offer and how it reflects on skin care industry. No more will the people who can't afford a salon facial will have to go without. Offered at the ridiculously cheap price point, it'll be a love for anyone who loves to care for their skin, whatever their budget. As with any acid treatments I recommend to apply it with a synthetic brush to ensure the product isn't contaminated. High concentration of AHAs and BHAs can be daunting on sensitive skin (mine reacts fine with it tho) so a little tingling and redness can occur but that's usually only for few mins within the application (tingling) and up to 30 mins after it (redness). I recommend following with gentle but effective skin care like organic oils. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Glycolic Acid, Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan gum, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.

Buy me: Deciem | Beauty Bay | Asos | Cult Beauty

Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

I have been using this eye serum for a while and I'm a convert. Caffeine works great at diminishing dark circles and the formula works great with all the eye creams I used it with. Delicate, oil like formula sinks in instantly and leaves the delicate area protected, nourished and deeply moisturised. I never use it on its own and always follow with the under eye cream and I can see the difference when the serum has been added to the regime. I usually apply in evenings only as I streamline my morning routine for those few extra zzz's in bed. Caffeine has string brightening and strengthening properties and works great under eyes. Dark circles and sometimes broken capillaries are common under eyes and caffeine helps strengthen blood vessels in the delicate area, as well as helping to diminish the purple tones. If you struggle with puffiness in the morning, try applying the serum both evening and morning for maximum results. EGCG is derived from green tea and offers anti-inflammatory properties. It's also proven to de-code dying cells, by almost reactivating them. So if you struggle with dark circles, puffiness and eye contour, I highly recommend you try it. At less than a fiver a bottle, you are not risking spending a lot of money on something that may not work as well as you thought it will. With some results showing in as little as a week, I recommend you stick with it for at least a month to truly see long term results. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Aqua (Water), Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol.

Buy me: Deciem | Beauty Bay | Asos | Cult Beauty | Victoria Health

Have you heard of The Ordinary skin care range yet? I am forever looking for new skin care to test, so I'd love to know your absolute must haves from Deciem. 

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